“It’s fine, but please talk to me. No more vetoes. It’s time for the truth.” Nodding, I decide to give him everything he’s asking for. At least when he runs, I know I did everything I could.
“I was a prisoner along with Nix. I was trafficked for five years before the location where I was being held was raided and I was rescued. Afterwards I was placed in foster care, where I bounced around for about a year before my parents found me. I met my family and was adopted within the month. That typically doesn’t happen that quickly, but my Papa has no shortage of cash, and they were eager to get me home. I was scared of men, and my Papa and brothers were no exception. It took me almost a year to warm up to them. They were incredibly patient with me, and it’s one of the main reasons they’re as protective as they are. We chose each other; first they chose me, and then when I was ready, I chose them back.
When I was fifteen, I kept getting sick. Kind of like the flu. The flu that makes you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. My parents took me to multiple doctors to find answers but couldn’t find any. It wasn’t until my skin took on a yellowish tint that I remembered during a therapy session about the dirty needles that they used on me. Not long after that, they tested me for Hepatitis C and that came back positive. Prolonged exposure can result in so many different issues.
For me, it’s mainly my kidneys. I was diagnosed with MPGN1 with type two MC. That, accompanied with my liver levels being slightly elevated, and I’m twenty-two years old and have kidney disease severe enough for me to need a transplant. My life is going to be filled with doctorsappointments, anti-rejection medicine, and praying that my liver doesn’t shit out next.”
“Don’t you see, Mac? I have nothing to offer you aside from a life of hospitals and trauma. With a side of no biological kids. Honestly, I don’t know if I want kids at all. I was literally kidnapped at seven and saw the worst of what mankind has to offer. I’d never want to chance that happening to my kids.”
Finally taking my eyes off of the wall to the side of Mac’s head, I focus on his teary green orbs. “I am— fuck Lee, I’m so sorry. I am so fucking sorry that I didn’t- I couldn’t save you from all of that.”
We don’t say it, but we both know what we’re talking about right now. “We were seven. What were you going to do? Theo and your Da couldn’t find me, of course you weren’t able to either. It’s not your fault, and I don’t blame you.” Deciding that we’re too far away from each other, I crawl over to him and curl up into his lap. “I don’t blame you, handsome, and you shouldn’t blame yourself either. We were kids, just kids.”
He buries his face into my curls and inhales. I’m sure I don’t smell fantastic, but he lets out a content sigh all the same, “What happened that day? I know what happened from my end, but what happened from yours?”
“I was on the way home from school. You guys were all sick, so I had to walk there alone. Well,‘alone’you know, Matteo and Leo were following behind me as usual, but I didn’t have any kids with me. I’d decided to go to your house and check on you guys. I remember being so worried about you. I knew how much you hated being sick and not being able to play.”
“I was so sick too. I think that was the worst case of the flu I’ve ever had.” He smirks into my hair. Always trying to break up the mood for me.
“It’s such a cliche story, but I was just walking when a white van pulled up. We were taught to beware of stuff like that, so I pivoted and ran straight into Matteo’s arms. Theo always told me he was a trusted adult. But that day, Matteo smiled at me and told me it would be okay. Right before he threw me into the van and sent the driver off.” Mac’s body is locked so tight I’m scared he’s going to snap in half. Using my hand, I rub his chest over his heart in circles. It takes a few minutes, but eventually he begins to relax back again so I can finish this story.
“There was a man in the back of the van with me. He restrained me and put tape over my mouth. We drove so long the sun set, and the moon was bright in the sky. They took me to an old house, where I’ll spare you the details because no one needs those images in their head. I was hard to break. They tried to assign me a number, but I wouldn’t answer to it. I’d tell them that our dads were coming for us every single chance I got. I told them you and your brothers were coming. I knew you weren’t, you couldn’t. Theo’s men gave me up, no way were they going to tell him the truth.”
“They gave me to their most fucked up clients. They injected me with dirty needles, and eventually I broke. I did what I had to do to survive until I was rescued. I answered to every new number I was assigned. I never had the chance to escape until I did and refused to take it. I was too scared by then to move when given the opportunity. If it wasn’t for Nix getting out and saving us, I would still be there.”
17
Chapter Seventeen
Mac
My tears soak the top of Lee’s hair. I can’t imagine the fear and pain she felt all of those years. From this moment on, I’ll never give her family shit again for how overprotective they are towards her. Hell, I want to put her in a bubble myself. My heart feels like it’s cracking into small pieces, like a rock thrown at a car window. My stomach feels like someone’s twisting it with an iron grip, and my lungs scream for breath as I process everything she’s just told me.
She doesn’t have what I thought she did, but dammit if that does nothing to ease the bone-chilling ache taking over my body. She’s really sick. I gave her her medicine this morning, so I already know it’s a fuck ton of pills. I also had a grandfather growing up who was on dialysis before he got tired of it and came off. His kidneys killed him. I can’t letthat happen to her, I won’t let it. I’ll donate my kidney to her. I don’t need them both anyways.
Fuck, she said her liver levels were elevated too. I’m not a doctor or in the medical field at all, but I know that’s not good either. I hack systems, find critical information, and pass it along to my brothers. I’m a cog in the machine that is the organization. I’m damn good at what I do, but I’m out of my depth here. I have to call Declan when I leave.
“I don’t understand how you’re alive? We were told that thirty-three was killed. Someone who watched you die told us. How are you here?”
“Who told you I was thirty-three? When I was rescued, I was One-four-two.” She looks at me with genuine confusion.
“Pigeon told us about when you guys first met when you were first taken. She said you were thirty-three.”
Lee thinks for a few seconds before she responds, “My number changed so many times over the years that I don’t even remember what my first one was. Every time I changed hands, I changed numbers, and I was sold a lot.”
Bile rises up my throat, and I have to choke it down. If I could bring those sick motherfuckers back and kill them again, I would. They deserve to be tortured and skinned alive for what they did to her and Phoenix. I can’t do more than nod my acknowledgement at her words. If I open my mouth right now, I’m going to flip out, and that won’t help either of us right now.
I take a minute to regain my composure before changing the topic slightly.
“So what’s been going on the past week and a half then?”
“Just me getting worse. I’ll bounce back. The bad days are just longer than normal here recently. Hopefully I’ll come offthe transplant list soon.”
“What happens if you keep getting worse?” I can’t stop the question before it tumbles out.
“Well, eventually I’ll have to live in the hospital, but before that my dialysis will go from three times a week to daily. Papa will probably be able to keep me here for that, but eventually I’ll need around the clock care. I can’t expect him to do all of that and move me back home. It’s not fair to him and Mama. I’m not even their biological kid.”
The wheels in my head start turning, but her last statement pulls that to a screeching stop, “Do they say that to you? Do they act like you’re a burden or a chore?” My voice sounds deadly even to my own ears.
